Short answer: for a quick free snapshot, HubSpot's AI Search Grader and Mangools' AI Search Grader score how AI engines see your brand. For real prompt tracking across ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and Google AI Overviews, SEO Runway's 14-day free trial is the most complete, with mention vs citation detection and competitors next to your classic rankings. You can also run the free 15-minute manual check below. For paid tools, see our AI visibility tracking tools.
Disclosure: SEO Runway is our product. We ranked it using the same criteria as every other tool, and noted where others do better.
Quick picks
- Best free trial (full tracking): SEO Runway
- Best free snapshot: HubSpot AI Search Grader
- Best free grader alternative: Mangools AI Search Grader
- Best budget trial: Otterly.AI
- Best no-tool method: the manual prompt test
Free AI visibility checkers compared
| Tool | Free checks | Engines | Card required | Upgrade from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SEO Runway | 14-day trial, own prompts | AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity (by plan) | [verify] | $29/mo |
| HubSpot AI Search Grader | Free brand report | Several LLMs | No (email) | Free |
| Otterly.AI | Trial | ChatGPT, Perplexity, AI Overviews | [verify] | ~$29/mo* |
| Mangools AI Search Grader | Free checks | Several LLMs | No | Mangools plans* |
| Peec AI | Trial | Major engines | [verify] | ~€89/mo* |
| Rankscale | Trial | Major engines | [verify] | ~$20/mo* |
| Semrush | Limited free checks | Check | No | Add-on* |
| Ahrefs Brand Radar | Free tier (limited) | Several | No | See site* |
| Am I On AI | Check | Check | Check | See site* |
| Manual prompt test | Unlimited | Any you can access | No | Free |
*Approximate; verify.
How we chose these tools
We included tools with free checks or a free trial, and compared their published free limits, engines covered, card requirements and upgrade cost.
1. SEO Runway (14-day trial): best free trial
Verdict: track your own prompts across Google AI Overviews, ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, with mention vs citation detection, competitors and sources, and an AI-readiness audit, free for 14 days.
After the trial: AI GEO from $29/month. See plans.
2. HubSpot AI Search Grader: best free snapshot
Verdict: a free report on how AI models describe your brand.
Limits: a snapshot, not ongoing tracking.
3. Otterly.AI (trial): best budget trial
Verdict: try low-cost prompt monitoring.
Limits: trial length and prompts.
4. Mangools AI Search Grader: best free grader alternative
Verdict: free checks of brand presence in AI answers.
Limits: limited checks.
5. Peec AI (trial): best specialist trial
Verdict: try a mid-market AI analytics tool.
Limits: trial.
6. Rankscale (trial): cheapest upgrade
Verdict: a low-cost path to recurring checks.
Limits: trial.
7. Semrush (free checks): for Semrush users
Verdict: limited free AI visibility data.
Limits: tight caps.
8. Ahrefs Brand Radar (free tier): market snapshot
Verdict: limited free brand mention data.
Limits: limited.
9. Am I On AI: simple checker
Verdict: a lightweight AI presence checker.
Limits: verify current free access.
10. The manual prompt test: best no-tool method
Verdict: free, flexible and surprisingly reliable if you're consistent. See the method below.
A free 15-minute AI visibility self-check
- Write 10 prompts customers ask: "best [service] in [city]", "[brand] reviews", "[brand] vs [competitor]".
- Run each in ChatGPT, Gemini, Perplexity and a Google search (for AI Overviews), using new chats.
- Record: mentioned (yes/no), linked (yes/no), competitors named.
- Score: mentions ÷ total checks = your AI visibility rate.
- Repeat next month with the same prompts.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
Can I check my AI visibility for free?
Yes. Free graders from HubSpot and Mangools give a snapshot, free trials offer full tracking for a short time, and a manual prompt test costs nothing.
How accurate are free AI graders?
They're useful snapshots, but AI answers vary between runs. Ongoing tracking across many prompts gives a more reliable picture.
Which AI engines should I check?
Start with Google AI Overviews and ChatGPT, then Perplexity and Gemini.
The bottom line
- Full tracking, free for 14 days: SEO Runway.
- Free snapshot: HubSpot AI Search Grader.
- No tools: the manual prompt test.
Start a 14-day free trial of SEO Runway, or see AI search tracking.
